11 Most Endangered Historic Places

Pompey's Pillar

Year Listed: 2002 Location: MontanaThreat: Development

Significance

On the south bank of the Yellowstone River in Montana, Pompey's Pillar, a sandstone butte that is approximately 100 feet tall, bears the only physical evidence of the remarkable 8,000-mile expedition of Lewis and Clark. Here, William Clark ascended a rock, surveyed a limitless view and carved his name and the date--July 25, 1806. Soon, though, the landscape of this pristine and isolated National Historic Landmark may change forever. In the shadow of Pompey's Pillar, United Harvest Corporation, a grain exporting conglomerate, is planning to erect a 100-acre grain-loading trucking and railroad terminal with four looming 150-foot-tall grain elevators. Putting this massive industrial facility next to Pompey's Pillar would be like building a 15-story factory complex next to the Grand Canyon.

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The National Trust's List of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places